A Journalist's Life

Beckham football surprise of the Earth

2008-05-05T23:55:00.000-07:00

David Robert Joseph Beckham, this professional footballer is popularly known as ‘Beckham’ in the football world as well in the fashion and life style world. Beckham is consider as one of the best charismatic play maker in football world, now playing for and captains Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy, and also a member of England National Football, played 100^th match for his country.

There is huge record, to get success in personal life after end up a thorn past carrier. But among them professional soccer player David Beckham would be considered as bit different way. In 1992 he starts his professional football carrier with English giant Manchester United at the age seventeen only. After joining in professional football club, he shows his creativity and industrious push him mega star in the football world. In 1998 world cup soccer Beckham get chance to represent his country England. Though Beck started this tournament with a dream to win the world, but it could be end with a small mistake.

But later on after two year, Beckham appointed as captain in the National Team, it’s an achievement of huge industry and self confident. In the followed world cup his extra ordinary free kick gave win against Ghana in the quarter final. The whole world know him age genius footballer. In 2003 this mid-fielder get chance to join with Spanish giant Real Madrid. Most of the time in Real Madrid carrier Beckham passed in side bench causing injury. Off form and Injury push him in questionable. Last January Madrid authority decides to sell him Film city football club LA Galaxy. For five years, long deal this mega star sold by 275 US dollars. 21 July he started his new carrier in LA Galaxy against Chelsea. American soccer lover and fans gave him warm reception. To watch his live match all tickets was sold with in a moment. American Soccer League authority appoints this play maker as brand ambassador to make soccer popular in America. Beside this, Beck ham is widely popular for his fashion and life style.

After achieving this huge success Beckham had a small sorrow, which was uncertainty of playing 100^th cap match on behalf of his country. But English new coach Fabio Cappello declared in 26^th March Beck will play his 100^th match against France match in Paris. Though that was simply a friendly match, but whole football lovers took that match in different way. Beckham is Five English footballer who got this glorious opportunity to play 100 matches. Though England loose that match by score line 1-0, Beckham was happy in achieving this gorgeous record in his favorite venue in Paris.

The Romantic Era: The Twentieth Century

2008-05-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

After Beethoven, composers turned their attention to the expression of intense feelings in their music. This expression of emotion was the focus of all the arts of the self-described "Romantic" movement. Whether in the nature imagery or passionate violence found in the paintings of Frederic, Delacroix, and Goya,

the strange and fanciful literature of Edgar Allan Poe, or the adventure and myths of the great collections of fairy tales and folk poetry, the depiction in art of the beautiful, the strange, the sublime, and the morbid was the ruling credo of the period.

The years spanning the end of the nineteenth century and the earliest part of the twentieth were a time of great expansion and development of, as well as a dramatic reaction to, the prevailing late Romanticism of previous years. In music, as in all the arts, expression became either overt the huge symphonies of Gustav Mahler, or the operas of Gioconda, or was merely suggested (as in the so-called "impressionist" music of Claude Debussy. The previous century's tide of Nationalism found a twentieth century advocate in the Hungarian Bella.

It was a time of deepening psychological awareness, with the works of both Nietzsche and Freud in circulation; and the horrors of the First World War brought death and destruction to the very doorsteps of many people living in Europe. Possibly in reaction to such influences, the expressionistic music of Arnold and his disciples germinated and flourished for a time. Experimentation and new systems of writing music were attempted by avant-grade composers like Eduard Varese and although none gained a foothold with the public, these techniques had a profound influence on many of the composers who were to follow.

Twentieth-century music has seen a great coming and going of various movements, among them post-romanticism, serialize and in the earlier years of the century, all of which were practiced at one time or another by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. More recently, lavatory or "chance" music, , and minimalism have been in vogue by a handful of American composers. With the commercial dissemination of music through the various media providing music as a constant background, the general populace has largely dismissed much of the music produced using bold, new, or experimental styles, preferring to turn to the forms and genres which it is most familiar. Many of the greatest and best-known composers of this century, including Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev, and Dmitri Shostakovitch, and British composer Benjamin Britten, have been those who have written music directly descended from the approved models of the past, while investing these forms with a style and modernistic tone of their own.

The Classical time line of Western Music

2008-05-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

The contrapuntal practices of the German Baroque began to give way in the first half of the eighteenth century to a highly ornamented style of melodic instrumental music, especially in France. This style has come to be called Rococo, after the same movement in the visual arts. The paintings of Boucher, Fragonard, and Watteau are prime examples of the visual style of the time. This refined but ornamented style could already be heard in the music of French composers Couperin and Rameau, and pervades the music of Italian composer Giovanni Pergolas. It is evident as well in the music of the two sons of Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Phillipp Emanuel Bach and Johann Christian Bach J. C. Bach eventually made his home in London and became known as the "London" Bach in order to distinguish him from his older brother. Johann Christian's many keyboard concertos had a profound influence on the eight year old Mozart when the two met in London in 1764. Bach's expressive keyboard sonatas came to influence the piano sonatas of later composers Franz Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven. Each of these masters made the Austrian city of Vienna their home, thus equating the Classical style with the Viennese style.

With the increasing emphasis of the age on reason and enlightenment, the writings of thinkers like Voltaire, Diderot, and Jefferson served to fuel a sense of mankind's being in charge of its own destiny -- that through science and democracy, people could choose their own fate. Such prevailing philosophy and thought likely triggered such events as the French and American Revolutions. The results of these events brought to the artistic world an expanded freedom of thought, in which artists' creative impulses began to find a freer rein of imagination and felt less constrained to abide by the established "rules" of the preceding ages. Earliest among these thinkers in the realm of music was the "great reformer" of opera, Christophe.

Baroque Age: Achievement Era

2008-05-05T23:32:00.000-07:00

The Baroque was a time of a great intensification of past forms in all the arts: painting saw the works of Vermeer, Rubens, Rembrandt, and El Grecian -- in literature it was the time of Moliere, Cervantes, Milton, and Racine -- modern science came into its own during this period with the work of Galileo and Newton. In music, the age began with the trail-blazing works of Claudio Monteverdi, continued with the phenomenally popular music of Antonio Vivaldi and the keyboard works of such composers as Couperin, and came to a close with the masterworks of two of the veritable giants of music history, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frederic Handel.

In the last years of the sixteenth century, a group of musicians and literati in Florence, Italy experimented with a new method of composing dramatic vocal music, modeling their ideas after the precepts of ancient Greek theater. Their intent was that this new music should prove more direct and communicative to an audience, as the complex polyphony of the Renaissance could very often obscure the text being sung. They instead set a single melodic line against a basic choral accompaniment, and with this notion of homophony, a new era of music began. The Florentine Cameraman called this new form of musical-dramatic entertainment opera. The first operas were private affairs, composed for the Italian courts. But when in 1637 the first public opera house opened in Venice, Italy, opera became a commercial industry, and the genre in which many composers throughout history first tried out new ideas and new techniques of composition.

With the rise of purely instrumental music in the Baroque Age, there also arose a flowering of instrumental forms and virtuoso performers to play them. One of the earliest masters of the soon-to-be predominant form of the concerto was the Italian composer and violinist Archangel Corella. Corella pioneered the form of the concerto gross, in which the principle element of contrast between two independent groups of instruments is brought into play. The larger group is called the ripen and usually consisted of a body of strings with harpsichord continue, while a smaller group or concerting consisted of two to four solo instruments. The various sections of the concerto would alternate between fast and slow tempos, or movements. Later composers of the period such as Johann Sebastien Bach and Antonio Vivaldi transformed this genre into the solo concerto, in which the solo instrument is of equal importance as the string orchestra.

With a vast amount of choral and chamber music to his credit, Francois Couperin was recognized in his day as the leading French composer. But it is for his harpsichord music that Couperin is best remembered today. He composed a great many suites consisting of dance movements and character pieces with such titles as "Butterflies," "Darkness," "Goat-footed Satyrs," and "The mysterious barricades". This is a charming and graceful music, beguilingly ornamented, and it opened a new direction for composers of keyboard music.

The later French composer Jean Philip Ramo also composed some fine keyboard and chamber music in the new gallant style. At the age of fifty, Ramo successfully embarked on a new career composing the type of lavish operas and ballets so popular at the time in France. But Ramo is best known today as the music theoretician who first rationalized chords and choral relationships into the harmonic system still studied by today's music students.

Western Music in the Renaissance

2008-05-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

The Renaissance was a time of rebirth in learning, science, and the arts throughout Europe. The rediscovery of the writings of ancient Greece and Rome led to a renewed interest in learning in general. The invention of the printing press allowed the disbursement of this knowledge in an unprecedented manner. The invention of the compass permitted the navigation of the world's oceans and the subsequent discovery of lands far removed from the European continent. With Copernicus' discovery of the actual position of the earth in the solar system and Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church lost its grip on society and a humanist spirit was born. This spirit manifested itself in the painting and sculpture of Michelangelo, the plays of Shakespeare, and in both the scared and secular dance and vocal music of the greatest composers of the era.

Throughout the Renaissance instrumental dance music flowered and thrived, and was composed, or more likely improvised, by many people. Musicians whose names have come down to us collected much of this existing music and had it published in various volumes over the years. The Terpsichore of Michael Pretorious and the dance music of Tillman Sousa to prep resent some of the outstanding examples of dance music from the late Renaissance. A piece such as La Spagna, is an excellent example of the buoyant rhythms and sounds of the Renaissance dance. Many of these dance forms were modified and developed by later composers and found their way into the Baroque dance suite.

Western Music Revolution

2008-05-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

Development of music is a continuous process. It bit tough to define when a music get its real shape, cause generation to generation as well as technological demand music changes it criteria. Western Music is now playing a vital role in the World Music. At present we see the mature stage of western music. But main development of western music is much ancient. Considering time line of western music’s development could be divided in to five different eras.

Time Line

· The Middle Age

· The Renaissance

· The Baroque Age

· The Classical or Viennese Period

· The Romantic Era

Considering the history and major development of musical instruments and musical pattern we tried to analysis the time lines.

The middle Ages

The traditions of Western music can be traced back to the social and religious developments that took place in Europe during the middle Ages, the years roughly spanning from about 500 to 1400 A.D. Because of the domination of the early Catholic Church during this period, sacred music was the most prevalent. Beginning with Gregorian chant, sacred music slowly developed into a polyphonic music called organism performed at Notre Dame in Paris by the twelfth century.Secular music flourished, too, in the hands of the French trousers and troubadours, until the period culminated with the sacred and secular compositions of the first true genius of Western music, Guillaume de Mac Haut.

Music had been a part of the world's civilizations for hundreds of years before the middle Ages. Primitive cave drawings, stories from the Bible, and Egyptian hieroglyphs all attest to the fact that people had created instruments and had been making music for centuries.

The word music derives from the ancient Greek muses, the nine goddesses of art and science. The first study of music as an art form dates from around 500 B.C., when Pythagoras experimented with acoustics and the mathematical relationships of tones. In so doing, Pythagoras and others established the Greek modes: scales comprised of whole tones and half steps.

With the slow emergence of European society from the dark ages between the fall of the Roman empire and the predominance of the Catholic Church, dozens of "mini-kingdoms" were established all over Europe, each presided over by a lord who had fought for and won the land. Mostly through superstitious fear, early Catholic leaders were able to claim absolute power over these feudal lords. The Church was able to dictate the progress of arts and letters according to its own strictures and employed all the scribes, musicians and artists. At this time, western music was almost the sole property of the Catholic Church.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham a movie of numbers of Genre

2008-04-27T01:23:00.000-07:00

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in English, which means some times happiness and some times sorrow, this popular bollywood movie, released last 2001। The story and plot of the film is not different from other hindi masala movies, but for some technical and making variation make it difference from others। This was second movie directed by Koron Zohor and bollywood blockbuster character took part in this movie, like Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Joya Bachachachan, Kajol, Rani Mukharzee, Hrittik Roshon and Karena Kapoor। It was the highest grossing Indian film overseas until 2006. It climbed up to 3rd place in the British box office within two weeks of release, and maintained its place for over 3 weeks. The film was also thought to have broken the American Box Office Top 10, but this remains uncertain due to a lack of confirmed figures from the distributors.

Generally, what we see in the bollywood movie, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham is not different from others. It's social and family traditional movie. Shahrukh Khan was adopt by Bachchan family, who is a renowned business personalities, but he was loved by the family more than their own child Hrittik. However, Shahrukh fall in love with Kajol who represent the middle class society. From than a family contradiction occurs, shahrukh married to Kajol wothout permission of family and leave for London. After end of 10 years long study in boarding younger brother Hrittik back home and found elder brother is not in the house. Therefore, this younger brother took initiative to mutual the whole contradiction. However, this is the common story of Indian subcontinent life style. However, the way the director present the whole story makes the difference.

As a sorrowful and touchy story, we see the producer invest huge money to bring the real scenario. Lights, sounds and sequence of presenting the story line up were attractive. We see in hindi masala movies directors are concuss on make up and dress up. When the story was telling in India than the directors tried to bring up the traditional arrangement of Indian subcontinent and when it was in UK than he tries to bring the real scenario of western world. The genre of Social Drama figured prominently right from the beginning of Indian cinema. Film Kabhi khushi Kabhi Gham represent this genre. Romance and eroticism have always plays a vital role in Indian movie. Here in this movie we see different sort of presenting of love. In social bond and relationship, mom and dad always play as key role and guardian of the family. The social norm and values were in the movie. Dance and song in the hindi movie always plays a vital role and set designer try to bring traditional way.

Feminism in Bangladesh: A Success Story

2008-04-06T01:02:00.000-07:00

Feminism this term refers to comprise number of social, cultural and political movements and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequalities, and equal rights for women। History of the feminism is not that much ancient even in the perspective of world history। The social movement for gender equality was started from later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, another successful movement was started from 1960s and 1970s led former prime minister of India Indira Gandhi first ever female PM of the world. And another extends from the 1990s to the present, where women are mostly successful in their movement.

Considering feminism history of world we easily find feminism history of Bangladesh is latest. But it was lead by one of the greatest female of Bangladesh; Begum Rokeya Shakhwat Hossain started the movement before liberation war with the inspiration of his husband Shakhwat Hossain. As Bangladesh is considered as Muslim country, showing the limitation of religion male tried to bind restriction on women. They had no easy access to outer side of the house, they were discourage in education even they didn't get proper respect from family. Begum Rokeya frist took attempt to break the tradition, she was successful to understand society that female education is must for betterment of the society and wrote a number of books for women, that was first social movement of female to increase education rate of female, which was started later 50s. After period of time a number of women also started to join the movement. Sufia Kamal, Zahanra Imam was some popular name in the movement. Even in the language movement in 1952 there was huge contribution of female students, especially Eden Women College and Dhaka University female students also took part in the procession.
In Bangladesh Liberation war there was huge contribution of women they even took part in the war.

After liberation war female also started feminism to get their respect in every part of the society. Politically and socially they started a huge procession in getting gender equality. First achievement of female could be consider in 1990, when BNP lead by Begum Khaleda Zia, a popular female politician of the country won National election and Khaleda was appointed as first ever female PM of the country. During her period BNP tried to introduce a number of new laws for female, reserve seats in the Parliament to increase education rate of female, secondary and higher secondary level female education was free of cost even they got some bonus in every month too. Later on both Hasina and Khaleda tried to continue the movement. But there was huge demand from women to get equal property from father; at last this care-taker government takes some initiative to implement the law.

But still there are some limitations, still female are facing inequality in various sector of the society. who knows once upon a time the situation definitely will increase.

Review of the movie: Enemy of the state

2008-03-30T04:29:00.000-07:00

This is one of the popular movies in the history of Hollywood। In 1998 this thriller film about a group of rogue NSA agents who murdered a congressional representative, and they try to cover up the incident by destroying evidence। Tony Scott directed movie not only showed the destructive mentality of NSA but also show how the modern technology hampering the personal life of particular person.

The movie opens, the government trying to pass a bill of legislation. The opposite political party lead by congressional representative tried to stop it. As it is the question of image of the leading political party, the government owned NSA agent took decision to kill the person. Near by a lake, two NSA agents kill; a research man recorded the whole incident in a video camera.

That video tape than become the central character of the film. NSA agent killed the research man, but fortunately, he passed it to a labor lawyer, who was not even informed about the incident. In the mean time, the lawyer just come a shopping place after completing a mafia leader. Who threaten him to back the video tape with in week other wise they will kill him. Than a new thriller, come from two part, one is government agent, another is the Mafia. Both party started to find the tape showing various thrilling fighting. Here most important fact was the lawyers even do not know that he is holding a video tape, which is the only evidence, of the killer.

New technology and media, how desperately can hamper the personal life of a particular person, viewers saw that. NSA agent set plant of tracking in every personal things of the lawyer. They started to create a climax in the family, by showing in the media that, the lawyer had another relationship with a woman, NSA agent killed that woman too. He lost his credit cards, brief case by enemy and every step he found some one following him. He was fired from his law firm causing involve with mafia and thrown out from house by his wife. In the mean time one intermediary came, with his helping hand. This person helped him to recover from tracking of NSA agent and request him to back to a reliable person, but the attempted was failed cause of inexperience. With the help of FBI at last, lawyer get relieved from court and got his family back.

Knowledge and Power: Term vary in Bangladeshi Context

2008-03-23T03:27:00.000-07:00

Knowledge this term refers to expertise or stillness of a person, which are acquiring through experience and education। It is not necessarily that, one should educated through academic degree only, it could achieve from society and nature also. on the other word we can explain the term as awareness and familiarity gained by experience of a fact of situation.

Now let us clear the term, power. It can be define from various ways actually, if we put our concentration on Social perspective, we will find Power means ability to make choice or influence outcomes, which is also power held by a person or group of people in a society. There is a strong relation between Knowledge and power term.

Most of the traditional approach is, Power is achieved through Knowledge. I mean the person who is educated he gained power too. However, according to Michel Foucault, Knowledge and Power is same thing. Foucault thought reflect that, power is situate among a society. In addition, it is being practiced over the year and can be show on the basis and demand of situation. According to him, a knowledgeable person is always respecting from every part of the society. As mass people put their faith on that person, ultimately, what he/she states that is cordially received from every part of the society, however the information is not true. this sort of practice create an image among the society and which have been practiced over the year, as most of the people have full of belief on particular person's thought, that create a power too.

Foucault extends his thought in this way, power and knowledge is the belief that those who are in power have specialist knowledge, like physicians, producers, administrative people, or even teacher too.

However, for some obvious reasons, considering social practice of this sub continent the term Power, practicing in a different way. The person who is rich and have inherited lots of property are considering as Power person. Academic even knowledge do not play any role here. In Bangladeshi rural practice the person who has lots of wealth considered as leader of the society; some cases real knowledgeable persons are neglected.

Representation: Nation's Identity in the Global Society

2008-03-16T03:25:00.000-07:00

'Representation' term is widely using in the society from ancient time। If we put our concentration on invention of language, we will find concrete idea on representation. To develop a communication between each other, earlier people used different sort of signs and symbols, to share his inner idea, that was first step of developing language. Later on people start to use different words or sounds, where every word represents particular meaning. In every communication process when we will say it success, when communicator and commune will understand the meaning of particular word.

If we try to define the term 'representation' in literally meaning than, representation refers to look like or to resemble something, to stand something or to present something second time. To clarify the fact, Say Zainul Abedin greatest artist of Bangladesh drew famine of Bangladesh after liberation war. The painting shows that how pathetic scenario was than, later on some other painters tried to copy the painting that means, second paintings representing first one.

In political context, we can get a clear concept of term representation. There are various political parties in a democratic country; every political party consists of their own thoughts, ideas, belief and motivation for country. That means name of particular political party refers to combination of that thoughts and beliefs. In the shorter version would be 'sign' of political party. There are two biggest political parties in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Awamilegue (AL). First one create their constitution on right politics and second one on right hand politics. Before election, every political party gives their own ambition after getting pass in the election. Based on that public vote or not, later on that elected political person represent the public of particular area in the parliament.

How a nation or country is, represent to other part of the world. Definitely, every nation has their own identity with their own culture and heritage, as well language and their belief and attitude. For Bangladeshi nation, as a part firstly we love to represent us, hospitable, hard working, self respect with each other, simply satisfies with simple things, patriot, emotion, nature loving, natural beauty, though poor but happy with simple life, there are a number of minority groups but no clash among each other. All this together represent the Bengali nation. Rich culture and heritage, pride history, ancient achievements and other facts, combined make prosper as a nation in the World context.

Myth most important component of Religion

2008-03-14T01:55:00.000-07:00

For many obvious reasons religion plays a vital role in Bangladeshi culture and society. Term myth is one of the central components of religion. Some scholars love to explain, that any religion is mostly dominated by two components, ritual and myth. Term myth refers to ancient believe of human being which is practiced by earlier generation. Once upon a time this practicing habit takes place as, social custom. On the other hand ritual refers to religious activities of human society; it could be vary from religion to religion.

To understand the term myth, we can take a number example from Bengal culture and society. It could be latest example from my part, few days ago I visited Sitakondu, about 50 K.M distance from Chittagong city. There is hill call ‘Seta’s pahar’, Seta is one of the vital character of Hindu religion. Sitakondu is full of small hills, and at top of the most of the hills have different temple of Hindu religion. Every year about one million people gather there, in ‘Dull Purnima’ celebration. Though Goya and Kashi is known as biggest pilgrim, but it’s said that if a Hindu fails to come Sitakondu for pilgrims in Dull purnima than, pilgrim is in complete. About 300 years ago temple was built there, now it became one of the biggest religious festival of this subcontinent. Now it’s not just religious festival of Hindus, all religious people take part, and now it become part of Bangladeshi culture especially for Southern part people

There could be another example from Muslim part of the country. Second biggest Muslim religious festival occurs here in Bangladesh. the pious who are involve with spreading Islam and ask muslim to work for almighty Allah they come together every year for three days, long Islamic gathering. Now it’s very important part of our Muslim culture. In the similar way can take example of Two Eid Festival, Shob E- Barat and Qadar also playing a very important role in Bengal culture. All of this belief came from Arabic culture hundreds of years ago and enter into Bengal culture.

In Bangladesh about 85% people are Muslim and second big religion is Hindu about 11% people practice this religion. In both religions there are some persons who lead the community. In Islam, people love to follow the command from Mouluvi and Hindu people love to follow the command of Purohit. This two class people always, command people with showing some history and contribution of fellow followers to establish the religion. As well as they try to follows a bright and prospect of particular person if direction of religion is possible to follow. Some cases they try to show their super power, just to get attention from mass people. once upon a time that person become hero of the society.

Connotation represent Society; Denotation is the Root

2008-03-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

Communication is a process, through this some one make a relationship with others. A communication consider as successful when source and receiver exactly understand the message. If we put our eyes in the process of communication, we will find some one firstly who will work as a source he/she will encode a message than will send it to media, the receiver will decode it and than will provide feedback. There could be verbal or non verbal communication.

If we go for the term ‘denotation’, it refers to the surface or literal meaning encoded to signifier, and the definition most likely to appear in a dictionary. Whatever the literal meaning is, to transmit information both addresser and addressee must understand the similar code. In western world, a thumb up refers to appreciate or congratulate a particular person. On the other hand in Bengal society some areas people use the sign to disagree with some one or to show anxiousness use this sign. As meaning is different with similar sign in that case it bit tough to keep communication with two areas people.

On the other hand term ‘connotation’ is used in boarder way. Connotation arises when the denotative relationship between a signifier and it’s signified is inadequate to serve the needs of the community. For meaning of a new object may be newly used by a particular community or even it could be use in dictionary for that community.

To keep relationship with others and to create a social bond human being used different signs and codes. The upgrade version of code and sign is language, which is very important component of culture. Culture represents everything of a particular nation, like dress code, food habit, national celebration, social customs and norms, values, everything. This culture comes through successful connotation. In Bengal culture we see, people of Bangladesh are very much concuss about guests, which may not found in western part of earth. In ‘Pohela Baishakh’ Benagli New year celebration we see, total nation come together with their own heritage. Every woman wears Sharees and male use Punjabi, love to take traditional bangla food, the whole day people pass their busy time with moving to their relatives, listen popular Bangla songs. On the other hand English New Year celebration process is bit different, English people loved to celebrate the day with their own culture.

If we consider sports I mean cricket, you will see the game is same around the world, the enjoyment of supporters are not same. In Australia we see, people rush to stadium as a holyday mood; love to show replica of their own culture. But here in this sub continent celebration process is bit different, in traditional mood people come to stadium in aggressive mood.

To respect elder and be soft on kids it’s part of social structure of Bangladeshi culture. Here in Bangladesh religious value is very important factor. This component mostly dominates social culture and heritage of Bengal. What should be the dress code of female, what marriage process everything is should define by religious rules and regulation?

Social Construction of Reality: Fact of Life

2008-02-25T23:52:00.000-08:00

Pohela Boishakh Celebration: Practicing over the year in Bengali Culture

Actually it bit tough to define the term ‘society’ on the other hand it much easier for some reasons. ‘Air’ it’s everywhere in our surroundings, without air any live is possible. Society is similar fact without this human life is impossible; in fact wild life is also under society control.

The term society is all about a person which consist culture, customs, norms, language and all about of a particular person’s day to day life. Social construction is a concept or practice which may appear to be natural and obvious to those who accept it, but in reality is an invention of a particular culture or society. This construction is a continuous process, which started from age to age of a family. A combination of families practice together once upon time creates a new custom.

How brain stores and retrieves information to examine the ways in which learners make meaning from experience. Rather than transmission of knowledge, learning is an internal process of interpretation; learners do not transfer knowledge from external world into their memories, rather they create interpretations of the world based upon their past experiences and their interactions in the world. Say, how a baby grows up in the society and how a baby adopts with a social life it’s totally depend on social life. No one suggest him to learn social language. But what mother says, he/she loves to copy it or want to practice with that. That’s why it called mother tongue. What sort of dress code a baby will follow no one bound him to do that might be mother in the childhood try to impose her on choice. But later on he get a chance to bounce back in his on choice, social custom allow him just to use their social dress. That’s why see variation of using dress from nation to nation. The constructivists approaches that have grown out of these, argue that learning should be durable, transferable and self regulated. In another way, it could be explain in this way, everyone in this earth himself is a complete institution. what he/she achieve from society and educational institution, family even in the surroundings he loves to gather the message in his own way and with own explanation. Thus ultimately a new idea develops from his own way. Ultimately we see various sorts of people having different approaches. Which build a construction in the society.

Review of the film ‘Wag The Dog’: Black face of Media

2008-02-21T21:46:00.000-08:00

[Wag the Dog: Media In a Question]

Mass media is well known as watch dog of democracy, it’s one of the fourth states of any democratic country. Fruitful democracy many ways depend on active participation of media people. As mass people have only way to communicate with top level people of a country is ‘media’, whatever the issue is people want to put their faith on media message. But some cases holy faith of public goes down for unethical activities of media. Wag the Dog movie is one of the best examples of manipulation of the mass media and public opinion, with a comedic way.

If we want to find out the background of the movie Wag the Dog directed by Barry Levinson, we will find movie was produced in a time when, former president Bill Clinton was impeached by sex scandal during the year 1997. Although the movie also makes reference to the Persian Gulf War as an example of war used as an electoral topic. Through the movie we see, that American president was involved with sex scandal allegation by a girl, as the election time is just before the opponent candidates taking this opportunity. Opponent political parties started negative campaign of the existing president. During that time President was visiting China. As mass people are not getting any speech from president concerning this issue, one of the renowned producers of Hollywood took the opportunity to work in fever of president. Producer Dustin Hoffman contrasts a fake war against Albania. As media and mass people had full of concentration about sex scandal, it became more important issue for public. Once upon a time people forgot the negative face of president as usual they started thinking how logical this war is against Albania.

If we go through with whole movie, we will find that how much interpretations differ as to the meaning of this metaphor. Most of the time mass people fail to gather exact message from media. If we take the example of ‘Gulf War’ and contribution of media, especially English and American Media, the journalist covering that war had to take shelter from American or British Soldiers. As accommodation and all sorts of facilities are provided from them it’s not possible to be unbiased for a journalist. Ultimately mass people are not getting right information from Iraq. If we relate this experience with this movie we will find similarity.

Democracy under Threate...

2007-07-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hei Friends,
To Understand the reality, we should put our eyes widely, plz don't be penic...to save democracy...to save your life...to save national economy...to lead our life...for sustain Bangladesh....this reality....please go ahead with following story...this was published in The Daily Star on July 17, 2007. written by Mahfuz Anam, Editor, of The Daily Star...

Commentary
This is no way to strengthen democracy
Just as "command economy" failed, so will "command politics"
Mahfuz Anam

The only reason that the caretaker government has survived six months in power, and the chief advisor acknowledges it every time an occasion arises, is because the general public think of it to be an instrument to strengthen democracy. But now if this very instrument of 'strengthening democracy' becomes a symbol of mindless and arbitrary use of power, then how will the public distinguish it from such previous abusers of power and continue to lend it support?
As a newspaper which supported the reform process of this government, we raise the above question in all seriousness. For we think by arresting Sheikh Hasina on charges that can easily be tried without her internment, the government has put at risk all its achievements of the last six months. To us Sheikh Hasina's arrest is totally misconceived and smacks of arrogant use of power without due process of law. To say that nobody is above the law must also mean that law is not the handmaiden of anybody either.

Examine the arbitrariness with which Sheikh Hasina's has been treated. She was allowed to go abroad and just because she spoke out against some actions of this government, (having earlier promised to ratify everything) suddenly several cases were filed against her. Then, when every government would want an accused to return to the country to face the charges, the government decided that she would not be allowed to come. Why and under what law and whose authority, we still don't know. In a most childish move all foreign airlines were asked not to take her on board, ignoring specific international laws that govern international travel. Then, just as suddenly she was allowed to return to a tumultuous welcome at the airport, which then resulted in cases against 5,000 unidentified attendees. (How these cases will be pursued only God knows).

Things were quiet for a while as the AL chief kept mum. She was allowed some movement but stopped whenever she would make a comment. In the latest instances of arbitrariness, Sheikh Hasina was allowed to visit the ailing Sabina Yasmin but Khaleda Zia was not.

In Khaleda Zia's case a comedy was enacted with her going abroad. The plan was to send her into exile and the bargaining was whether or not she will be allowed to take her two sons with her. We saw the drama of Koko -- being charged with extortion (same as Sheikh Hasina), arrested and then released within a day with the case still pending. The drama continued for days which later turned out to be a farce as the BNP chief did not even have a visa for any country willing to host her. She had to negotiate to visit her husband's grave and seek clearance every time she went anywhere. Again the question is why, and under what law her movements are curtailed.

We trust the chief of staff when he says that the Army is not involved in politics or forming any new party. But what do we do when we receive reports from our correspondents that district administrators are making lists of so-called clean politicians and that many of them are being visited by the powers that be goading them to join the new so-called king's party? What do we do when senior leaders of both the BNP and the AL tell us of powerful visitors asking them to move against their party leaders or face corruption charges?

We would like to strongly suggest that this is no way to strengthen democracy. Just as 'command economy' failed so will 'command politics'. The core of democracy is people's right to choose their leaders and those who will represent them in the government. We accept that we made some bad choices in the past. We accept that our leaders, including Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, betrayed our trust in many cases and over many years. We also agree that we got tired and fed up with confrontational and destructive politics and that we all yearned for a change. But we never agreed to bargain our democracy for 'knights in shining armour' to save us from dire straits.

We repeat that we welcomed the emergency for the simple reason that the election that was looming before us was going to further destroy our democracy, which had been battered by years of partisan politics from both sides. We supported the caretaker government, and we still do, simply because we want to go back to democracy, albeit greatly strengthened and made free of corruption. But arresting leaders at whim and 'punishing' them for making critical comments is no way of doing that.

In reference to the economy our Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus had told an earlier government: "We do not need your help, just remove the obstacles and let people do the rest." We say the same thing today about politics to the caretaker government and to the armed forces that are helping them. We don't need your help in doing politics. Just remove the obstacles and let people do the rest. Here obstacles means corruption, lack of appropriate laws, necessary oversight mechanism, independent judiciary, Election Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Public Service Commission, depoliticised bureaucracy and law enforcement agencies.

Much of the above the government is doing, and creditably so. But the tragedy is that it is doing something more. It is attempting to manipulate our politics by trying to predetermine who will be and who will not be a part of its future. This is neither desirable nor doable and even if forced, not sustainable. Every leader possessing slightest bit of integrity will shy away from being a part of this process. Those who will be forced to participate in this process will lack credibility to command any respect and thus be unable to provide stability. And those who will volunteer to be part of this process, and there will be many as there has been in the past, will not be worth the paper their names will be written on.

If anybody expects to bring about a dynamic Bangladesh through such group of opportunists can only be termed as being totally devoid of any knowledge of history, especially of this part of the world, and specifically of Bangladesh.

The chief election commissioner's roadmap of Sunday had cleared the air considerably about the coming elections. But yesterday's arrest of Sheikh Hasina brought in some dark clouds over the election horizon. Suspicion has been sown that though the process and mechanics of the coming election may be free and fair, through "command politics" those participating in it may be pre-selected and thereby predetermining the outcome. Simply put "command politics" will yield "command victors" and thus instead of elected government we'll have a puppet government.

We hope that the above nightmarish scenario will not happen. It is imperative that immediate and credible steps be taken to remove all suspicion about it. For a start we think Sheikh Hasina should be set free. Let all credible cases be brought against her and let her face the law and the courts and let the people judge her for what she is. Further, we need lifting of ban on indoor politics. This will allow the reformists and the old guards to fight in the open and give the public a chance to understand the issues and make their judgment. It is our firm belief that there is a groundswell of support for reforms in every aspect of our politics. The leaders who will oppose reforms will be rejected by the voters, if not by the party activists and supporters. But the reform process has to be open and free, and not manipulated.

We conclude by urging the army-backed caretaker government not to jeopardise the whole reform process and the considerable success that this government has achieved in fighting corruption and bringing some institutional reforms by wittingly or unwittingly becoming over-ambitious and taking more on their plate than they can digest. The fundamental mistake committed by past proponents of "command politics" was to underestimate the wisdom of our masses. We cannot afford a repeat of that mistake.

Expansion of TV Media in Bangladesh

2007-05-23T04:03:00.000-07:00

Expansion of TV Media in Bangladesh

History of Television in Bangladesh is not that much ancient. But After Liberation war, especially late ninety of twentieth century it expanded around the country with a very good prospect. Earlier there was only TV media BTV, which is state owned terrestrial channel, but now there are a number of satellite channels set up in the country. It put a great faith to the citizen of the country specially the educated people. It becomes well entertain as well as information source to people. Because of technical advancement satellite I mean cable TV expanded around the country not only in urban area but also in rural area. At present almost 65% area of Bangladesh is connected by satellite. That’s why entrance of cable TV becomes easier. Earlier people have only option i.e. BTV so they were bound to watch it, to get true fact they had no other option to become infotainment. But technical development brings a change in the whole society. Beside, local channels there are a number of foreign channels also very much popular among the people. Some cases, those foreign channels try to dominate the society as well as culture, especially Indian satellite channels. All are significant initiative to expand TV media in Bangladesh. Before enter in the main topic it’s necessary to clear the term TV.

TV Media:
Television is now capable of bringing the world into everybody's drawing room within a fraction of a second. TV technology was invented towards the end of 1920s and Arthur C Clerk played a significant role in promoting its further development. He said in 1945 that by placing three satellites over three oceans it would be possible to bring any part of the world on to the TV screen.

Television is a common telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving picture and sound over a distance. The term "television" may also be used to refer specifically to a television set, programming or television transmission.

Starting from the late 1940s, the television set has become a common household reception device found world-wide and It is now ubiquitous in most residential homes, particularly in the first world, as a source of entertainment and news. Since the 1970s, video recordings and later, digital playback systems such as DVDs have extended its uses. (Source: www.en.wikipedia.org).

Practical television systems include equipment for selecting different image sources, mixing images from several sources at once, insertion of pre-recorded video signals, synchronizing signals from many sources, and direct image generation by computer for such purposes as station identification.

Transmission was originally over the air from land-based transmitters. The quality of reception varies greatly, and this led to the proliferation of large antennas on house roofs for best signal in the 1960s. In most cities today, cable systems deliver television over metal or optical cables, but for a fee. It can be delivered by radio from synchronous satellites, which were large for analog and smaller dishes for digital broadcast, which were large for analog and smaller dishes for digital broadcast, also for a fee, often less than cable systems, small dishes outside houses. (Source: www.en.wikipedia.org).

TV Media in Bangladesh:
Regular transmission of TV programs began immediately after the Second World War. TV appeared in this subcontinent two decades later. The first TV transmission in Bangladesh (Earlier East Pakistan) began experimentally on 25 December 1964 with the help of a 300-watt transmitter from the DIT (now RAZUK) building in Dhaka. The daily broadcast for three hours in the evening used to cover a radius of 16 km. Ten years later on 6 March 1975, the TV centre moved to its own spacious house at Rampura. In view of its importance as a vehicle for helping reconstruction of the war-torn country, the autonomous Television Corporation was nationalized in 1972 and made a government department named as Bangladesh Television (BTV). The limited range of its transmission gradually improved with the installation of 12 satellite transmitters around the country and spread of electrification at the viewer level. Now over 95% of the country is covered by transmission. Its Chittagong station has already started originating programs while the other stations relay Dhaka programs. The relay stations are located at Sylhet, Mymensingh, Brahmanbaria, Rangpur, Natore, Thakurgaon, Jhenaidah, Khulna, Satkhira, Patuakhali and Noakhali. The Dhaka station has a 20-kw transmitter while the other stations except Satkhira are equipped with 10 kW transmitters. Satkhira has a 2-kw transmitter.

In 1980, Bangladesh Television started transmission in color and a new milestone was reached in 1999 when a Tk 690 million modernization program was completed. At present, 1,520 officers and staff work in eight departments 204 in program, 32 in news, 132 in camera, 116 in design, 540 in administration, 95 in accounts and 23 in sales. As part of its program for expansion of transmission, BTV is establishing other four satellite stations at Rajshahi, Rajbari, Rangamati and Ukhia.
There is no accurate account of the number of TV receiver sets in use in the country. The licensed sets number about 600,000 but unofficially, the number is estimated to be about two million. This shows that an average of 65 persons of the country's 130 million people have one TV set. Most sets are owned by the urban families leaving a vast majority of the rural people out of coverage.
The government took a number of steps to globalize BTV’s transmissions. A project funded by the Spanish government was undertaken to make BTV's programs available to the overseas viewers. With the help of the ground stations at Betbunia and Talibabad, BTV can report any event happening anywhere in the world. Under arrangements with Asia vision, SAARC and other international organizations, BTV regularly exchanges coverage on news and program. The government lately approved three private sector channels to operate transmission for viewers of both home and abroad. More such channels are expected to come in the near future. BTV transmits private sector package program to bring in variety in its fare.

Expansion of Satellite Channels in Bangladesh:
Satellite TV Channel introduced in Bangladesh in the 1990s. On 29 September 1992, the US news network CNN started relaying its transmission here for a few hours everyday using the BTV channel. The same year, BBC started the same under similar arrangements. Permission to use dish antennas for receiving satellite transmissions directly by general users opened up new opportunities for the Bangladeshi viewers to see programs from the outside world. Between 1992 and 95, more than 10 international TV channels entered Bangladesh homes. Today, this number stands at more than 50.

The satellite television channels are now among the most popular means of entertainment for the people. New channels introduced in 1992 in Bangladesh in addition to CNN and BBC were basically those of the Star Television Network, Zee TV network, Indian TV and Pakistan TV. Some early starters bought dish antennas for very high prices and installed them on their roofs. Very soon, the innovative entrepreneurs, foreseeing a lucrative business, started operating private cable networks, which mushroomed throughout the country. The number of channels subscribed increased substantially in the major cities.

According to a survey conducted in 1998 by Dhaka daily, BBC, Channel-V, CNN, DD-7, DD-Metro, Discovery, Zee India TV, ESPN, Prime Sports, Sony, Star TV Network (Star Movies, Star Plus, and Star Sports), Zee TV and Zee Cinema are among the most watched and most popular channels. CNN, TNT, MTV and Cartoon Network were found to have a high viewing rate. Among the relatively new entrants, Star World, National Geographic, HBO, AXN Action TV, and Alpha TV also made good impression among the Bangladeshi viewers.
The invasion of satellite channels into the living rooms of Bangladeshi viewers undoubtedly put government-owned BTV into a hard test. However, for some special programs like weekly drama or the popular magazine titled ‘Ityadi’ people still tune BTV.

Private owned Terrestrial channel:
Ekushey Television (ETV) was the first private terrestrial channel in Bangladesh. It started its official transmission on April 14, 2004. During its short transmission period, it gained immense popularity among the viewers through its distinctive news, documentaries, talk shows, dramas, etc.

It was closed down in 2002 on August 29, by the government citing that its license was illegal. Since then, the authorities of ETV have fought cases in the High Court and are trying very hard to restart its transmission.

On the 1st of December, 2006 ETV restarted its test transmission after being absent for four years and three months. It officially restarts broadcasting from April 14, 2007.

Expansion Private owned Bangla Satellite Channels:

ATN Bangla is the first digital satellite channel of the country, which started broadcast in South Asia on15 July 1997. Broadcasts to Europe began in 2001.

The channel is now also transmitted in the Middle-east, Europe, and North America. The channel offers a wide variety of programming including news, movies, dramas, talk shows, and more.

Channel I is a privately owned Television network in Bangladesh.. It currently broadcasts satellite transmissions using Pan Am Sat, which covers most of Asia and parts of Australia and Europe. It’s owned by Impress Tele film and started its operation from October 1, 1999.

Channel One is another Bengali language satellite television channel from Bangladesh. It started broadcasting from Dhaka on 24 January 2006.

NTV is another Bengali satellite television channel of the country. It started operation in 2003. It is one of the most popular Bengali TV channels in the country.

RTV is a satellite television channel broadcast from Bangladesh. It started operation on 26 December 2005. It mainly broadcasts programs in Bengali language.

Some Relevant Information:

Number of Television Stations:
15
Number of Television Sets:
770,000
Television Sets per 1,000:
5.9
Number of Radio Stations:
26
Number of Radio Receivers:
6,150,000
Radio Receivers per 1,000:
46.9
Number of Individuals with Computers:
200,000
Computers per 1,000:
1.5
Number of Individuals with Internet Access:
100,000
Internet Access per 1,000:
0.8

Pathetic story of TV Media in Bangladesh:

26 February 2007: NTV, along with its sister station RTV, was forced off the air temporarily due to a massive fire at the station building. Three people died and over 100 were injured in the blaze. The fire caused NTV to broadcast reruns of programming.

Barriers of Satellite Channels to expand foreign Countries:

Expatriate Bangladeshis in many countries cannot get access to all satellite channels of Bangladesh because of government policies; cable operators ‘interests, and technical hurdles. Viewers need several dish antennas to downlink programs of all channels.

This is costly, as the channels don’t use the same satellite. If all Bangladeshi TV channels use a single satellite to uplink programs, people across the world can watch Bangladeshi channels.

References:
Electronic Media History of Bangladesh
Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB)
Press and Information Department (PID)
Internet
All TV Channels
Media Guide

By,
Ahmed Raqib
Staff Reporter
Channel One

Gone Are The Days....

2007-04-18T01:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Viewers,
It's Me Raqib....
MY Blog is Now Under Construction....
So Probably You Will Not Find Any Special Thing At This Moment to Read....

But I'm Promising To Post LOTS OF Informatic POst...

Promise....

Regards

Raqib

2007-04-17T02:05:00.000-07:00